Re-entry after a knitting/touristing weekend is always hard. On the one hand, it’s fantastic to be back in my own bed, my own routine, and even work is comforting in its own way. On the other hand, after all the intense exposure to yarn, patterns, friends, and all the beautiful hand-knits that were out walking around at Rhinebeck, and the way it becomes so easy to slip into knitting world and the way it seems completely normal to be dashing for a subway one minute and calmly discussing the merits of different methods of SSK decreases the next…After that it seems like the only reasonable way to spend your day would be to stay home, watch all your X-Files DVDs, and cast on for eleven new projects.

I’m still at that point, contemplating my to-do list that easily fills an entire page, but if I just glance around I can see my new yarn which is about to join its friends in my stash, and surprisingly enough I am finding myself just as excited to return to the stuff that was in my stash in the first place. I want to knit anything, everything, and the temperatures outside are falling fast enough that this is not just desirable but necessary if I want to be able to cover my hands and head and feet (or anyone else’s, come Christmas).

So what did I buy? The weekend went by in such a blur that I almost forgot about that part. In fact, some of these purchases seemed to happen so fast that I hardly remember them. Above, my biggest purchase was from the folks at Wild Apple Hill once again, proving that my Knitting Kryptonite always comes in the form of dirt cheap sheepy wool. After starting to knit my new Twist Cardigan with the Wild Apple wool I bought last year, I knew i wanted at least 1 more go-around with this stuff so I fell upon a dark purple-brown shade not dissimilar from the shade of Berrocco Ultra Alpaca I was wearing that same day. This wool is not for drape or glitz, but it is very servicable for cabled pullovers and warmth, and I’ll sign up for that any day.

The rest of my new stashlets came in a smorgaboard of fingering weight:

These are 4 skeins of heathery fingering-weight wool from A Touch of Twist, destined very soon to become some form of stranded mittens; 2 skeins of Socks That Rock mill ends from the Fold (an extremely intense purchasing experience – crowded booth and long lineup); and a pleasant find from Sliver Moon, a super long skein of fingering weight of over 1000 yards – an enormous shawl shall be mine!

As far as actual knitting, I also got to start a new pair of socks this weekend, in triumph over finishing the pair I’d brought with me. From the Lorna’s Laces acquired on last April’s visit to Knitty City, a new pair of Jaywalkers is already well under way.

And now I’ve got the rest of my to-do list, laundry, and stash contemplation to get back to.
Hug some yarn today.

Phew I just read all three of your Rhinebeck posts and I feel well satiated in a third party, vicarious kind of way. I’ve read a few Rhinbeck posts on other blogs but none quite as satisfying as yours. Thanks!

All you lucky folks that got to go to Rhinebeck are making me needles drool! One of these times our knitting group will make the trek that we have been talking about out to there! Sounds absolutely amazing!

One of the things that I hate about moving to Texas is that the weather never gets cold enough to wear all my lovely sweaters knit when we lived in New England! On the upside, I am making LOTS of sock, shawls, and mitts, and OMG I LOVE the Socks that Rock colors! Maybe it’s a good thing I’m too far way to go to Rhinebeck!

What is it about yarn and knitting that makes us lose all touch with reality? I’m studying hard for a big test I have coming up on Monday, and I have to keep scolding myself, “No, absolutely no knitting until Monday afternoon!” I should add “no blog surfing” to that — oops. Bye. P.S. Love your yarn purchases.